Viva Chicken Bruschetta

And they all love Chicken Bruschetta!

Easy, delicious, elegant chicken recipe with Italian ingredients and wide appeal?  Coming right up! 

My sister Kristen, who is an excellent cook and the busy mother of four, is forever on the prowl for high volume, nutritious, time saving, and crowd pleasing dinners.  She shared the following dish as one of the best in her arsenal.  "Chicken Bruschetta is my go-to dish for a party.  It makes a beautiful presentation, is incredibly flavorful, and even the pickiest eaters will accept a chicken cutlet.  Pair it with a loaf of crusty semolina bread, a bottle of pinot noir or pinot grigio, and you're golden.  Every time I serve this dish, at least one guest asks for the recipe."

I was skeptical, but had reason to test her streak a week or so ago, when we invited friends to dinner.

Chicken Bruschetta
Serves 6 people

2 pkgs THINLY sliced chicken breast cutlets, about 8 pieces.   (Optional:   marinate in 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup white wine, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder for added moistness and flavor).
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (seasoned, italian style)
2 eggs
olive oil for pan(s)

Marinate chicken if desired for 1-4 hours.  Dredge chicken in egg, then bread crumbs.  Place in well oiled baking dish, and drizzle the top of chicken generously with more oil.  Bake at 400 degrees approx 30 mins or more til done; flip cutlets half way through cooking.    When done, chicken should be slightly brown and crispy.

While chicken cooks, prepare the bruschetta dressing:

2 pints cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (to taste)
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil

In blender, coarsely puree tomatoes.  In bowl, mix tomatoes with remaining ingredients.

Assemble dish:


1 or 2 pkgs baby lettuce (arugula or spring mix)
aged Parmesan, sliced thin

Wash, spin and place lettuces on a large serving platter.   Top with most of the dressing, reserving a small amount to top the dish.  Toss the dressing w/ the lettuce.  Place chicken pieces atop salad, then place thin slices of Parmesan cheese on top, and drizzle with remaining dressing and chopped basil if desired.

Serve with crusty bread.

NOTE:  chicken can be done ahead and either served at room temp or heated up quickly before serving.  Bruschetta dressing can also be made ahead of time, so this is a good dish for parties!

 I'm delighted to report that the streak continues.

Sorry, couldn't resist. (Different kind of streak, of course.)